The Grass Tattoo (#2 - The Craig Modern Thriller Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

modern suit, loosening his tie, and sat down.
    “What did you make of Leighton at the viewing?” Liam had volunteered to take the politician into the mortuary with John, while Craig talked to Trevor about the upcoming P.M.
    “Rough enough, boss. He went white as a sheet and the Doc had to sit him down. Then he started crying and calling her name out. I felt sorry for him.” Liam immediately looked embarrassed by his own compassion, as if he’d admitted a flaw.
    Craig nodded. He agreed with him. Much as he hated politicians, Bob Leighton’s grief was genuine, he was certain of it. But that didn’t mean that he was innocent.
    “He’s guilty of something, Liam, but I’m not sure it’s murder. Did you see the size of his pupils? In a bright room too.”
    Liam nodded. “He didn’t stop sniffing all the way to the lab. Big coke habit. I thought his nose would never stop bleeding.”
    “I’d like to bet that it isn’t his only vice. He showed a bit too much concern about that nanny.”
    They needed to speak to Kaisa ‘whatever her name was’, now that Leighton had formally identified his wife. There’d been little doubt that the body they’d found had belonged to Irene Leighton, but the formalities still had to be observed.
    “That Dublin trip of his was a handy little alibi. I’ll check it out after lunch. But I’d say presenting to the European Energy meeting would be hard to fake. Five hundred witnesses and a T.V. show to prove it.”
    Craig thought for a moment. “Yes, but...”
    “But, what?”
    “It doesn’t prevent him being involved in some other way. Even if he didn’t kill her himself, he’s up to his eyes in this death, somehow.”
    They lapsed into silence, thinking, and then Craig remembered that he hadn’t eaten since 7am, so he slipped-on his jacket and stood up.
    “We can’t do anything until his brief arrives, so let’s go to ‘The James’ for lunch.”
    A sudden thought struck him. He had a pile of paperwork waiting in his office; Nicky had been tutting at him about it all week. He pushed the thought away guiltily and turned to go and Liam swung his long legs down from the desk, never one to refuse food.
    “Good idea, I’ll need a full stomach to have a go at the nanny.”
    “You’re going nowhere near the nanny. Annette’s taking that one.”
    Liam feigned offence for a second and then grinned, acknowledging his reputation for giving pretty women a free pass, and for putting his foot in it.
    “Just give me a minute to check for calls.”
    Craig pressed the number for the main desk and listened to his messages. There were two. Nicky telling him that they were all on the sixth floor and would return about one thirty; and Julia McNulty asking for a copy of the public prosecution file on Jessica Adams. He smiled quietly, making a note to ring her back personally.
    They headed for the lift and just as they were leaving, the arriving lift’s door opened, and Craig’s heart sank at the sight of Terry Harrison. That was all he needed; their earlier conversation had been bad enough.
    Harrison’s uncomfortably high-pitched voice rang out across the floor. “Ah, D.C.I. Craig. Just the man.” He turned his head slightly and caught Liam ducking into the stairwell, waving him back, in an order, not a request.
    Without any debate, he oiled his way towards Craig’s office and pushed open the door, seating himself behind his desk with an attitude that brooked no discussion. He swung Craig’s chair round to face the river, and started talking with any preamble.
    “I’m not happy, D.C.I. Craig.”
    Before Craig could ask ‘what about’, he continued. Craig already knew what about in any case, and that Harrison was about to tell them again, at great length.
    Terry Harrison was a political operator with a small ‘p’ and he fancied himself as a player. Sucking up to politicians was one of his many dubious skills, and he was both good at it and proud of it, although in Craig’s book